He heard Maev roaring behind him, flying with him. Jeid bellowed above, Laira upon his back. Hundreds of other dragons shot forward too, and Dorvin flew at their lead, screaming, torn with agony and hatred. Angel's eyes bored into him, and her fire blasted out in rings, slamming against him. The shock waves knocked dragons into tailspin, but Dorvin righted himself and kept flying.

Angel smirked before him, churning smoke and fire with her bat wings.

Let's see how you like dragonfire, Dorvin thought and blasted out his flames.

The jet blazed forward, shrieking like a storm, white-hot in the center, expanding out to blue and roaring red. The inferno crashed against Angel and sprayed out, an explosion of dragonfire.

The Demon Queen only laughed. She flew across the cavern, swung her arm, and backhanded Dorvin like a parent cuffing a child.

The blow cracked scales on Dorvin's cheek and slammed his head sideways so powerfully his neck felt close to snapping. White pain washed over him, strewn with golden flecks of light, and his ears rang.

"Dorvin, damn it!"

Maev's voice rose from somewhere above; it sounded marks away. Dorvin shook his head wildly, tugging the world back into focus. The other dragons, an army of a thousand, were fighting around him in the cavern. Wave after wave of armored, insect-like demons flew toward them. Claws and fangs sparked against their exoskeletons, and dragonfire washed uselessly over their shells. Jeid grabbed one creature's leg and yanked it off with a shower of green blood. Laira, her dragon form lost, rode upon Jeid's back, firing arrows at the demons. Beyond them, Tanin and Issari fought back-to-back, lashing their tails at demons, punching holes through the thick armor. A thousand other dragons fought above and below, killing and dying.

"Dorvin, down, damn you!" Maev shouted.

Angel's hand swung again. Dorvin dipped in the air, and the demon's second blow thrust over his head. Maev came swooping down, fire raining on the Demon Queen. Angel laughed as the flames cascaded across her.

"Back, Mammoth Arse!" Dorvin shouted. "This one's mine. Go kill some smaller demon."

"Shut up and help me, Dung Beetle!"

Maev growled and swung her tail into Angel. The spikes drove through the demon's stone flesh. Lava spurted out from the wound, sizzling across Maev's tail. The green dragon screamed, tore her blazing tail free, and tumbled in the sky.

"All right," Dorvin muttered. "She's fireproof and her blood is lava. Fantastic."

He shot closer, braced himself, and swiped his paw, aiming at Angel's eyes. The Demon Queen raised her own claws so quickly Dorvin barely saw them. She blocked the blow, then thrust out her tongue. The wriggling muscle shot forward like a whip, wrapped around Dorvin's throat, and squeezed.

He sputtered, swinging his claws, Angel just beyond his reach. The tongue squeezed tighter. Dorvin tried to blow fire but he couldn't even breathe.

"Maev!" he managed to whisper. "Help!"